Deceitful Dreams
by Aerie-L1485
Summary: Drip, drip, drop. Juvia is being haunted by what lurks in her dreams. She cant seem to escape them and what they tell her. Can anybody wake her up from her nightmares? Will she ever see the sun? And what about Gray will the hole in his heart ever be filled?
1. Nightmare - Juvia POV

Dreams are fickle things. Dreams can lie. Dreams can disappear like mist as the sun rises, as though they never existed. _Dreams are fake_. And yet it was dreams that haunted Juvia's every waking thought as she laid in bed, eyes wide, breathing harsh, and tears in her eyes. She was tormented by the images that her mind had conjured up while her body lay dormant. Nobody was torturing her, no, this pain what her own mind had brought her.

How cruel, she mused to herself. I bring my own pain. I do this to myself.

With a heavy heart and tired eyes she once again made an attempt to sleep.

* * *

One week. Only one more week. One week, 1 hour, and 37 minutes. She had been counting down the days like a repetition for the last month.

As Juvia made her way to the Guild Hall she kicked an unlucky pebble that was in her line of walking while simultaneously letting out a deep sigh that lingered in the cool Spring Magnolia air. The trees were shaking in the breezy air and the sound of people talking could be heard throughout. They were laughing.

Everybody was so happy.

It was annoying... Thunder crashed across the sky to match her mood. Rain began to fall...

"Man, looks like its going to rain. This sucks I was planning on spending the day swimming. Wow, this really make me depressed. How gloomy." A man said as he looked up at the sky, hands shielding his eyes from the sun as he spoke to what she presumed was his girlfriend.

Juvia's eye twitched at his comment and she let out a sound resembling a growl. A passing women who heard shot Juvia a look of horror before quickly scurrying off in the opposite direction. Juvia's head hung as though from the weight of something great and she let out a saddened sigh.

"Drip, drip, drop.."

Nothing could seem to make her days any brighter. Nothing could seem to wake her from this nightmare.

* * *

"Why do you look so gloomy Juvia?" The culprit was in the flesh, the one and only Mirajane. In response Juvia only sank deeper into her seat at the bar as the rain outside changed from a drizzle into a steady, strong pitter patter against the Guild Hall's roof.

"Drip, drip, drop..." Somebody, please, she seemed to beg just wake me up, save me!

* * *

Juvia returned home in a downhearted mood. She made herself a salad and attempted to read a book that she had started three months earlier while she softly poked at her food. With a groan of resignation she made her way to the bathroom to prepare for bed. After a bath and changing into an oversized grey shirt with a pair of cotton underwear she walked to the bedroom before laying in bed and pulling the duvet over her head.

* * *

Once again Juvia woke with a start, one hand over her pounding heart, as the other felt her wet face from the tears she had shed. Her breathing was coming in erratic breaths and she let out broken sobs. The cries of someone who was heart broken. Her face slowly crumpled in despair as she dropped her hands before bringing them around her knees as she turned over into a fetal position. Her mouth parted as heart retching sobs forced their way out of her mouth. Her head quickly snapped up as the ringing of her bedroom door could be heard swinging and hitting into to the wall as it was slammed open.

In its place was the reason for her tears. The reason for her melancholy emotions. The reason it was pouring outside. The reason she couldn't seem to breathe.

It was Gray Fullbuster.

Lightning clashed against the dark night sky, lighting her bedroom up and illuminating him.

His face held a storm of emotions. His hair was in a disarray. His clothes looked frumpy. He had bags under his eyes and he seemed to be out of breath as though he had ran here. But it was him.

It was Gray.

Her breathing sped up in complete and total relief. He was here. She could finally wake up.

He quickly made his way to her as she did the same, pushing the blankets off her as she crawled to the edge of the bed, before sitting on her knees, hands reaching...

Reaching...

Before they tightly gripped the soft fabric of his shirt. His hands firmly held her face and he roughly smashed their lips together. His lips moved in perfect synchronization with hers. Juvia could taste the salt from her tears in the kiss and taste him. His taste reminded her of when you eat a peppermint and drink ice cold water. She moved her hands from his shirt to the back of his neck and she tugged on his hair. Gray lightly tugged at her bottom lip in response. They were a war of emotions and they conveyed it to each other in each touch of their lips. Gray prodded at her bottom lip with his tongue and Juvia's mouth opened to him. He began molding his tongue with hers in a dance of love and despair. Juvia let out a shaky moan as she attempted to get closer to him. Slowly their kiss came to a close. He gave her one last peck before bringing their foreheads together. He brushed his thumbs up and down her cheeks in a comforting motion.

Juvia's eyes began tearing up once more as she threw her arms around his neck and brought him in for a tight embrace.

"Your here. Your here!" She repeated, almost sobbing in complete and utter disbelief.

"I'm here." He said simply while laying his head in the crook of his neck. He pulled Juvia up by her forearms before she wrapped her legs around his waist. He then sat on the bed as he held her close to his heart.

* * *

Juvia sat up out of breath. Her hands shook in remembrance of her dream. All she could see was his face now. Her hands stretched out to feel the other side of the bed but it came up cold and void of anyone. Her thoughts flashed to what she thought had been real life. He wasn't here. She was alone. She began to cry as she tightly gripped the sheets that had pooled around her.

"Juvia?" A voice called in a concerned voice form the bedroom doorway. She looked up and what she saw stole her last breath away.

"Gray?" He made a move towards her as she flipped her light on her bedside table on. It wasn't a dream, he's really here! She thought to herself. She noticed that his clothes were different, he had changed into a pair of black joggers and his torso was bare and he looked as though he had just gotten out of the shower. He sat on the bed next to her and pulled her into his arms from behind. He nuzzled his face in her hair and let out a sigh that could only be described as made of pure happiness.

"I'm home." His voice was soft.

"Yeah you're home. It's been so hard without you here. I swear I cant function properly if I don't have you by my side. I'm so lost."

"I know, I feel the same way. The whole time I was on the mission Natsu kept hitting me for as he called it being a, 'Sad Snowman.' I feel like I don't how to live when your not their to keep me going. Does that make me crazy?"

"If it does than I can say with confidence that I am 100% crazy, my love." She said as she covered his hands with her own

"Why were you crying when I came in?" His arms tightened as he spoke.

"It was a nightmare. I keep dreaming that you go on the mission and never come back. That you die. That I lose you, Gray. I dream that I never see you again, every night that you're not with me. And everyday that you're gone I live my nightmare, because you don't come home." Her eyes began to fill up with tears as her lips trembled.

"Juvia." The one word held so much emotion as he spoke. His voice nothing but a broken whisper.

"How do I live without the sun, Gray? Its impossible. Nothing can live without a sun. Nothing." Her voice cracked at the end.

"I'm here now and I don't ever want to leave your side again. Juvia can I tell you a secret?"

"Of course."

"I dream that when I come home you've given up on waiting for me. That I was gone for too long." His eyes lets out soft, slow tears.

"I will always be waiting. _Forever_. That's a promise, my love."

"And I promise that I will _always_ come home to you."

"I love you Gray."

"I love you Juvia, with everything that I am. And I also love how you look in my shirt."

"It was comforting." She spoke with a giggle.

With that they lay down together. He pulled her into his arms as their legs tangle together. He smells like icy mint and feels perfect against her. Her husband is finally home. And for the first time in 1 month, 2 days, and 27 minutes she dreams.

She dreams that he never leaves. She dreams that were together forever.

For the first time in 1 month, 2 days, and 27 minutes she sleeps and knows that come morning she will wake up. Juvia knows that her sun will rise and she will finally escape the darkness that held her for so long.

She smiles at the thought. He promised he would always come home she told herself. And she knew if she ever had deceitful dreams again, she could hold onto the truth.

But that's the thing about dreams.

They lie...


	2. Heartache at Daybreak - Gray POV

Italics mean his thoughts - _'I'm hungry.'_

* * *

"Natsu Dragneel I swear to freaking Zeref himself I will KILL you with this exact spoon in my hands, right now, if you call me a smelly, sad, snowman ONE, MORE, TIME!" Gray bellowed in pure fury at the offending Salamander.

Natsu and Gray were both leaning across the table so that they were face to face in the restaurant as they finished their dinner along with Gajeel Redfox the Iron Dragon Slayer, or commonly known as 'Black Steele Gajeel'. The Dragon Slayer paid neither of them any mind as he ate the fork off of Natsu's plate without a moments of hesitation.

"Oh yeah, I dare you, you Pervy Popsicle." He said as he made a move to push himself more into Gray's personal space.

"All right you asked for it Dragon Breath!" He hollered as he began thrusting the spoon towards Natsu's face at a blinding speed. Though before the spoon could reach its target it was suddenly gone. Both Natsu and Gray stopped their argument to look at his now empty hand... Gray moved his hand in the motion he had used to hold the spoon . Open. Close. Open. Close.

Before both he and Natsu turned over just in time to see Gajeel...

Eat it.

They both stared in disbelief before they both began assaulting Gajeel with their words.

"Hey what's the big idea that spoon was MINE, you Tin Can!"

"Wow Gajeel now Ill never know if Gray actually would have done it. I mean I doubt it, I don't call him Pansy Popsicle Princess for nothing." Natsu said smugly.

"Hey listen here Natsu don't test me because the only thing left on this table is a knife! And Gajeel how could you do that? I mean maybe I wanted to take that particular spoon home! Ever consider my feeling when you ate it?! Was it at least tasty? HUH? Was that spoon worth the sleep you'll lose over knowing you took something precious from ME?!" Gajeel's only response was to reach past them both and eat Gray's knife.

* * *

 _'Over a month. It had been more than a moth since he had left for this mission with both Gajeel and Natsu. Why, he couldn't even say. They had been sent to track down a dangerous man known by the name Orion. He had been destroying every home he came into contact with, and had been taking food from restaurants. He had also stolen the Mayors most prized jewel worth millions. The kicker was that in the jewels place he had left an apology note explaining that the jewel could by him enough food for a few months. What a dope. Wow, come to think of it he didn't sound all that different from a certain Ash for Brains.'_ Gray laughed at the thought for the first time all day.

Slowly his thoughts returned once again to the reason he had been so depressed these last weeks.

 _'Blue hair, deep endless eyes that resembled the ever changing sea, and a smile that shone like a thousand stars.'_

 _'Juvia Fullbuster.'_ He smiled softly. _'They had gotten married at the tender age of twenty and three years later I still love her as much as I did when we had started dating at eighteen.'_ His heart began to ache once again. How he missed her. The only time he got a break was when he saw her face in his dreams, and even then it was only of her saying goodbye. He raised his hand and placed it over his heart.

 _'Yep,'_ he thought grimly. _'Its still beating.'_

He could almost swear that he was hollow inside, that his heart was gone, left back home with her. He felt so incomplete. So lonely. So _dead_ without her.

He raised his eyes to the slightly opened window of the hotel he was staying in and felt relief then he saw that the sun was setting.

 _'Finally, tonight was the night that I will catch Orion. Then, I'm gonna take the first train out of here.'_

* * *

"Geez, who knew such an idiot would put up such a good fight!?" Gajeel said with a huff of annoyance. Orion had actually put up a good fight. Much like Natsu he had used fire magic, though he wasn't nearly as powerful. In the end he had returned the jewel and was now in the mayors hands. Natsu had tried convincing Gajeel and Gray to let him go, but they hadn't listened to him. He seemed to have found a friend in him, since they had been so similar.

"I personally thought that he was kinda cool." Natsu said as he pouted, slightly. Gray only rolled his eyes in reply.

"Oh come on Frosty, I know that you miss your precious water droplet but would it kill you to lighten up? We'll be home in two hours. Stop being so Gloomy!" Natsu crossed his arms as he spoke. Gloomy. Gray lips lifted into a smile at the word.

"Yeah well, I would already be home if two certain Idiots hadn't refused the mayors offer of a ride in his magic mobile!"

"You could have taken the train Freezer Burn!"

"You destroyed the Train! And then Gajeel started to eat the railing!"

"Oh yeah, I forgot about that. Kinda. Sorta." He said, a sheepish expression marring his face. Gray threw his hands up in frustration.

"You know what? I'm going on ahead. See you morons later!" With that Gray threw a wave over his shoulder as he began running towards Magnolia.

 _'If I run and I don't stop Ill be home in forty-five minutes! Fifty tops!_ ' He thought to himself with a smile.

 _'Don't worry Juvia, I'm coming home. Don't give up on me!'_

* * *

Gray could see his house coming into view and it sent his heart into overdrive. _'I'm home!'_ He yelled to himself. In a flurry of motions Gray unlocked the front door before running up the stairs to his and Juvia's bedroom. As he neared their bedroom door he could faintly her the sobs of the woman he loved. His heart broke at the thought of her sadness. In a rush to reach her he slammed the door open causing her gaze to snap up to meet her gaze. His breathing ceased. The room became lit up by the thunder outside and he could see her face.

She looked as though she was tired, and hadn't been getting any sleep. Her blue eyes were widened in shock and her complexion looked pale. But most important she had tears running down her face.

Quickly Gray moved towards her as she did the same. He reached out before bringing her face to meet his.

Their lips met in a flurry of emotions. Sadness. Hope. Longing. Heartbreak. Empathy. _Love_. Her lips were as soft as ever. She tasted clean, like freshly cut mint and of her fallen tears. He could feel her hands moved into his hair and he held back a groan as she tugged at it. He gently pulled her bottom lip between his teeth and tugged slowly. He then moved his tongue to lightly ask for entrance before her mouth opened up to him. As their tongues meshed together she whimpered at the contact. He pulled her closer as she did the same to him. After a few moments they slowed the kiss and ended it with one last chaste kiss on each others lips. Gray brought his forehead to hers as he slowly, sensually ran his fingers against her cheeks.

In a quick motion Juvia brought him into a tight embrace. he could hear and feel her soft cries as she spoke.

"Your here! Your _here_!" His heart felt lighter at her words. She was right, he was. He had made it home.

"I'm here." He spoke quietly while moving his head to lie on her while he changed their positions so that she could lie in his lap. She soon fell asleep, and he smiled at the notion. _'Good it looked like she needed the rest.'_

* * *

Gray had just finished putting his joggers on when he heard the soft cries of his wife. Swiftly he made his way to the bedroom. He hated when she cried. _'Might as well stab me in the heart',_ he thought with a frown.

He soon reached their bedroom door and tentatively called out to her.

"Juvia?" She looked up and her face turned from despairing to relief. As he walked towards the bed she turned on the bed side lamp. He sat down on the bed behind her before pulling her so that her back rested against his stomach. He gently laid his head in her hair. Her smell brought him comfort.

"I'm home." He spoke as much to Juvia as to himself.

"Yeah you're home. It's been so hard without you here. I swear I cant function properly if I don't have you by my side. I'm so lost."

"I know, I feel the same way. The whole time I was on the mission Natsu kept hitting me for as he called it being a, 'Sad Snowman.' I feel like I don't how to live when your not their to keep me going. Does that make me crazy?"

"If it does than I can say with confidence that I am 100% crazy, my love." She said as her covered his hands with her own

"Why were you crying when I came in?" His arms tightened around her as he spoke.

"It was a nightmare. I keep dreaming that you go on the mission and never come back. That you die. That I lose you, Gray. I dream that I never see you again, every night that you're not with me. And everyday that you're gone I live my nightmare, because you don't come home." Her eyes began to fill up with tears as her lips trembled.

"Juvia." The one word held so much emotion as he spoke. His voice nothing but a broken whisper.

"How do I live without the sun, Gray? Its impossible. Nothing can live without a sun. Nothing." Her voice cracked at the end.

"I'm here now and I don't ever want to leave your side again. Juvia can I tell you a secret?"

"Of course."

"I dream that when I come home you've given up on waiting for me. That I was gone for too long." his eyes began to fill quickly at the thought before finally, slowly they overflowed.

"I will always be waiting. _Forever_. That's a promise, my love." She says, her voice strong and passionate.

"And I promise that I will _always_ come home to you."

"I love you Gray."

"I love you Juvia, with everything that I am. And I also love how you look in my shirt." As he spoke he couldn't seem to control his growing smirk.

"It was comforting." She spoke as a giggle escaped her.

With that they lay down together. He pulled her into his arms as their legs tangled together.

 _'Finally,'_ he thought. _'I'm home. Here, in her arms, this is home to me. My dreams had lied. She would always be here. And even if I was separated from her again I knew that we would be reunited again. For the rain always returns.'_

 _'And I know much like the rain, I can always be found near Juvia.'_


End file.
